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Alabama OL Evan Neal down 15 pounds heading into 2021 season, shares secret to incredible box jumps
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When it comes to offensive line recruiting, nobody does it better than Nick Saban and Alabama.
The Crimson Tide have churned out one NFL Draft pick after another from their offensive line ranks over the course of the last decade and soon to be joining that list will be junior Evan Neal, who’s been tabbed as a preseason All-America selection by multiple media outlets heading into the 2021 season.
The Okeechobee, Florida, native started his Alabama career at left guard but moved to right tackle last season, where he amazed observers with an uncanny display of athleticism at 360 pounds.
And this season, Crimson Tide opponents can not only expect to see Neal at his new position of left tackle, but they can also expect to see an even more explosive Neal, as he went to work on his body in the offseason.
Neal told Cecil Hurt of the Tuscaloosa News on Monday that he has dropped 15 pounds since last season and will begin the 2021 campaign at 345 pounds, adding that he’s “a lot more light” on his toes:
Evan Neal says he has dropped 15 pounds (360 to 345) since last season. “I’m a lot more light on my toes,” he says.
— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) August 9, 2021
When asked how he can explain his unusual combination of size and athleticism, Neal was quick to answer, telling Michael Casagrande of AL.com, “I have nobody to thank but my parents for the genetics”:
“I have nobody to thank but my parents for the genetics,” Alabama’s Evan Neal said about the viral box jumps he’s done.
— Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) August 9, 2021
Alabama opens its 2021 season on Saturday, Sept. 4, against the Miami Hurricanes.
"Chris Wallace covers college football for Saturday Down South. He has covered college athletics for multiple newspapers and also worked previously for Rivals.com and GolfChannel.com."
